Overarching rationale

The concept of biodiversity-ecosystem functions (BEF) proposes that increasing biodiversity enhances the capacity of ecosystems to sustain multiple functions and services. While this framework has received significant attention over recent decades, most research has primarily focused on analyses within a single ecosystem, overlooking the joint effects across adjacent ecosystems, like ecotones between terrestrial and freshwater realms, where a constant exchange of energy, matter, and organisms occurs. In light of the current loss of biodiversity and the simplification of ecosystems caused by Global Change, conducting BEF research across ecosystems becomes imperative. In the WaterLand project, I will assess BEF relationships across aquatic (i.e., ponds) and terrestrial ecosystems within the Mediterranean landscape.

Mediterranean regions are a global biodiversity hotspot, but also one of the most vulnerable areas worldwide, with freshwater-terrestrial ecotones remaining critically understudied, despite their considerable potential for buffering extreme climatic events. Ponds, meanwhile, are among the most abundant and diverse freshwater habitats, providing critical ecosystem functions and services (e.g., carbon storage, flood control and pollination). Still, they are increasingly vulnerable and remain underrepresented in BEF studies, particularly in cross-ecosystem contexts. This knowledge gap limits our understanding of how aquatic-terrestrial interactions are critical to maintaining ecosystem functions and providing essential services to society, including climate change mitigation.

Within this framework, I will investigate how taxonomic and functional diversity of terrestrial plants modulate pond biodiversity and ecosystem processes, and evaluate the factors, such as landscape structure and climate, that govern BEF relationships across ponds and terrestrial habitats. Ultimately, WaterLand aims to generate valuable insights to identify key aspects for the conservation of ponds and their sustainable terrestrial habitats, offering strategies for creating and restoring Mediterranean ponds.

Methodology

To achieve the WaterLand objective, we will sample a total of 50 ponds and their surrounding terrestrial ecosystems across five zones (10 ponds per area) from the eastern part of Valencia to the north of Catalonia (Fig. 2). These locations were specifically chosen to cover a bioclimatic gradient based on annual precipitation records spanning over 30 years. The five areas include: semi-arid (200 - 300 mm/year), dry-subhumid (300 - 600 mm/year), humid (600 - 1000 mm/year), very humid (>1000 mm/year), and alpine sites (>1000 mm/year). We also incorporate two levels of terrestrial complexity (high and low) based on Taxonomic and functional diversity and structural heterogeneity, which will be determined within 10 meters from the pond edge. Each site will be sampled twice per year (spring and autumn) to capture pond seasonality and vegetation dynamics. Climatic variables, including Aridity Index (AI; mean annual precipitation/potential evapotranspiration) and mean annual temperature (MAT), will be extracted from the WorldClim database. From each site, a standardised stratified survey will be conducted to collect a comprehensive dataset on environmental factors, taxonomic and functional diversity, and the ecosystem from terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Turning plans into action

For the development of this project, I plan to apply to several funding bodies, including, among other, the CEDEGENT, a program supported by the Generalitat Valenciana; the Ramon y Cajal fellowship, Spain’s national research funding scheme; and the British Ecological Society (BES), which offers opportunities for projects that lie at the interface of multiple research areas, as is the case for the WaterLand project. All of these fellowships are awarded to researchers with outstanding academic records and are highly competitive.

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